A mineral species belonging to the tourmaline supergroup, redefined by the IMA from 'ferridravite'. Very rare. It occurs as small, highly lustrous crystals of an intense black color. Specimens of this size are very unusual. Often Mina San Francisco is given in the literature as the type locality for povondraite (formerly called "ferridravite"), but that species and its associated minerals came from the Locotal Breccia, a different rock unit a few hundred metres outside the mine. This piece was acquired for his collection by Christian Dubois (ca. 1980) from Arthur Didisheim (Switzerland), who had previously purchased it from Chiara and Daniele Respino, well-known Italian collectors and book authors. A piece with a great history!

Reserved

These specimens of Bolivian galena are unusual in collections. These mines on Cerro Sayari (4,300 meters elevation) were mined for silver during the colonial times. In this sample we would like to emphisize a group of sharp galena crystals, with metallic luster and polysynthetic growths, showing cube faces and minor facets of the octahedron. Aesthetic piece and very rare on the market.